1 Samuel 31
1 Meanwhile the Philistines had attacked Israel, and the Israelite army ran away from them, and many were killed on Mount Gilboa.
And the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gelboe.
2 The Philistines chased down Saul and his sons, killing Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.
And the Philistines fell upon Saul, and upon his sons, and they slew Jonathan, and Abinadab and Melchisua the sons of Saul.
3 The fighting became very intense around Saul, and the arrows of the Philistine archers found their target, wounding Saul very badly.
And the whole weight of the battle was turned upon Saul: and the archers overtook him, and he was grievously wounded by the archers.
4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Take your sword and kill me, or these heathen men will come and kill and torture me!” But the armor-bearer didn't want to do it because he was too afraid. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
Then Saul said to his armourbearer: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest these uncircumcised come, and slay me, and mock at me. And his armourbearer would not: for he was struck with exceeding great fear. Then Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him.
And when his armourbearer saw this, to wit, that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.
6 Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all the men with him, died the same day.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men that same day together.
7 When the Israelites who lived along the valley and those on the other side of the Jordan realized that the Israelite army had run away, and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their cities and they also ran away. So the Philistines came and took them over.
And the men of Israel, that were beyond the valley, and beyond the Jordan, seeing that the Israelites were fled, and that Saul was dead, and his sons, forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came, and dwelt there.
8 The next day, when the Philistines went to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa.
And on the morrow the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons lying in mount Gelboe.
9 They cut off Saul's head, stripped him of his armor, and sent messengers throughout the country of the Philistines to announce the news in the temples of their idols and to their people.
And they cut off Saul’s head, and stripped him of his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the temples of their idols, and among their people.
10 They placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and nailed his body to the town wall of Beth-shan.
And they put his armour in the temple of Astaroth, but his body they hung on the wall of Bethsan.
11 However, when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
Now when the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad had heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all their strong warriors set out, traveled all night, and took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they got back to Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.
All the most valiant men arose, and walked all the night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Bethsan: and they came to Jabes Galaad, and burnt them there:
13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.
And they took their bones and buried them in the wood of Jabes: and fasted seven days.
